Trolley.



PATFNTED OCT. 16, 1906.

H. B. BURKE.

TROLLEY.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.28. 1905.

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HENRY B. BURKE, OFWVINDBER, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRQLLEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 28. 1905. Serial No. 293,633.

To all whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. BURKE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Windber, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolleys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trolleys; and. the invention has for its primary object to provide a novel form of resilient harps for trolleypoles.

My invention aims to provide novel means for retaining a trolley-wheel in engagement with a trolley-wireor the like electrical conduit during the operation of a car, and to this end I have devised a harp in which a conventional form of trolley-wheel is journaled, the harp being constructed to fit upon the ordinary type of trolley-pole at present used.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and, referring to the drawings accompanying this application, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved trolley-harp, illustrating a trolleywheel upon a wire, also the position the harp and wheel assume relative to the wire when a car equipped with the same is moving. Fig. 2 is 'a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the trolley-harp proper. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the resilient harp-arm.

To put my invention into practice, my improved trolley-harp consists of a harp proper and a resilient supporting-arm, the arm 1 being constructed of a strip of resilient metal having an enlarged end 2, which is provided with a transverse slot 3. The enlarged end has its edges provided with apertures 4 4, and it is bent to surround the upper end of a conventional form of trolley-pole 5. The edges of the enlarged end are secured or riveted together, as at 6 6, to form a sleeve adapted to fit over the upper end of the trolley-pole, and to retain the sleeve upon the pole, and at the same time permit it to rotate, I provide the upper end of the pole with a set-screw or bolt 7, which protrudes through the transverse slot 3 (if the arm 1 and retains the arm upon the po e.

The upper portion of the strip of metal upwardly, as at 9.

from which the arm 1 is formed is bentupon itself, as at 8, and has its extreme end bent To the end 9 of the arm is secured the harp proper, 10, said harp consisting of two pierced arms 11 11, which are connected together at their lower ends by an integral plate 12, said plate being pierced, as at 14 14, in order that it may be secured to the end 9 of the arm 1 by screws or bolts 15 15. Between the upper ends of the arms 11 1 1 is journaled a conventional form of trolleywheel 16. The end 9 of the arm 1 is provided with a pierced lug 17, to which a trolley rope or cord 18 is attached to permit of the trolley-wheel 16 being disengaged from a trolley-wire or the like electrical conduit. As the arm 1 is made of a resilient material, the trolley-wheel 16 will be normally held in engagement with a trolley-wheel, the trolleypole being normally held in close proximity to a trolley-wire by a conventional form of spring mounted upon a car.

By normally holding the trolley-wheel 16 in engagement with a trolley-wire the trouble experienced in connection with trolleywheels becoming disengaged from a trolleywire when a car is traveling at considerable rapidity is entirely dispensed with, this also being true when cars pass around a sharp curve, as the arm of my improved harp can partially rotate upon the upper end of the trolley-pole.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have illustrated in dotted lines the position a harp assumes when in operation, it being observed that the spring-arm is slightly bent to normally hold the trolley-wheel in engagement with the wire. .The harp maybe provided with a suitable opening 18 to permit of an electrical conduit being connected to the harp; but I do not care to confine myself to passing a conduit through an opening in the arm, as it may be readily soldered or otherwise secured to said harp.

It will be observed that the simple construction of my improved harp permits 0f the same being manufactured at a comparatively small cost, and when the harp is constructed of strong and durable metal it will withstand the roughusage to which harps are generally subjected.

Such changes in the construction of my improved harp as are permissible by the apended claim may e resorted to without IIO eparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a trolley pole and wheel, of a resilient flat spring-arm having an integral collar formed at its lower extremity, said arm being bent upon itself and having its other extremity extending outwardly and upwardly, a harp mounted on the upwardly and outwardly extending portion of said arm, said arm being provided with a series of apertures adapted to receive electrical conductors and means located upon the underneath side of said arm for disengaging said trolley-wheel from the conductor, said means comprisinga pierced lug.

In testimony whereof I a'ffiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. BURKE.

Witnesses:

H. V. GRAEBER, M. E. SELL. 

